If you prioritize higher performance for 3D, machine learning, or gaming tasks, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro with its dedicated graphics card may be the better choice. However, the MSI Prestige 16 offers longer battery life and is lighter, enhancing its portability, along with a larger storage capacity and double the amount of RAM, which might be more suitable for multitasking and general productivity. The MSI also comes with Windows 11 Pro, whereas the Lenovo has Windows 11 Home. If aesthetics are a concern, the MSI is marketed as a more premium, business-oriented device while the Lenovo has a gaming laptop appearance. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good portability
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
8.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 offers a combination of higher RAM and storage, which contributes to its very good rating for general use, along with a better screen brightness and color accuracy, and significantly longer battery life which enhances portability and usability away from a power source. In comparison, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, while still suitable for general use with a capable CPU and quality screen, has less RAM and storage, dimmer screen, lower portability due to its heavier weight and shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
6.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for gaming and 3D because it is equipped with a robust Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and has a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, enhancing gameplay smoothness and graphic detail. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 16, while also offering a high refresh rate, sports an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU which, despite being capable, doesn't match the Legion's dedicated gaming performance yet provides better battery life and a lighter build for increased portability.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.3/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.5/10
8.1/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
8.3/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and MSI Prestige 16 laptops both have high-resolution displays with excellent color accuracy and brightness, making them suitable for tasks such as browsing, watching videos, and casual content creation. Their screens cover a wide spectrum of colors which is vital for precision in engineering and design work, ensuring that the colors you see on-screen match those in the final product. However, their lower refresh rates are less than ideal for 3D applications and gaming, where fast-paced visuals can benefit from smoother transitions and reduced motion blur seen in higher refresh rate displays.
Battery
3.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 16 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$999
$1,611
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a price of $999 and the MSI Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and MSI Prestige 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, with its powerful CPU and dedicated GPU, excels in engineering and design tasks requiring graphics processing, but it's heavier and less portable. The MSI Prestige 16, while also strong in CPU performance and having more RAM, relies on integrated graphics and offers better portability and screen quality, but may not handle graphics-intensive tasks as well.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and MSI Prestige 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and the MSI Prestige 16 compare to other laptops
"The midpriced Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 follows some of our favorite gaming machines, including last year's model and the higher-end Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 tested earlier this year. But pedigree doesn't count for much in the computer world, and gaming laptops require a certain level of power and graphics performance to justify their prices. The Pro 5i Gen 8 just doesn't do that, offering middling CPU and GPU performance rather than the sort of muscle that would make it a great value."
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i or the MSI Prestige 16
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
131,595
Recommendations made
28,513
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.